The Room of Requirement

Room of Requirement
Courtesy of This American Life

By Jeffrey D. Briggs, President

Friends of Richmond Beach Library

Libraries aren't just for books. They're often spaces that transform into what you need them to be: a classroom, a cyber café, a place to find answers, a quiet spot to be alone. 

It's actually kind of magical.

In its most recent episode, This American Life, a weekly public radio program and podcast, told stories of people who roam the stacks of the library and find unexpected things that just happen to be exactly what they required. 

The stories were heartwarming, touching, profound. They were a validation of what makes libraries great for children, teens and adults. Much like our local Richmond Beach Library 19601 21st Ave NW.

In his introduction, This American Life host Ira Glass says, 

“In the Harry Potter books, there's this place called the Room of Requirement. The way it works is you walk three times in front of this certain patch of wall at Hogwarts, thinking, like, I really need a coffee. And then suddenly in that room a coffee shop will appear. Or, I need a place to make my magic potion in secret, and then a room with all the ingredients for your magic potion will appear.

“Libraries are like that. But in real life. That's what they do. And today on our program, we have stories of very unlikely uses for these Rooms of Requirement, all driven by people who want something very, very specialized. Something which, in every single story in today's show, the library is able to deliver.”

HERE is the link to This American Life’s episode called “The Room of Requirement.”

Ira Glass
This American Life podcast

New episodes are also available for ten weeks to stream or download via these and other podcast apps:

• This American Life
• Apple Podcasts
• Google Podcasts
• Radio Public
• Pandora

Listen and enjoy! 

And then make a New Year’s visit to your local library. The Room of Requirement is a magical place!